2027 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in New Mexico

[Public Administration & Social Service](/majors/social-services-public-administration/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value public administration & social service schools.
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2027 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in New Mexico
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in public administration & social service, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools
San Juan College earned the #1 spot for value among public administration & social service schools in New Mexico. Located in the rural area of Farmington, San Juan College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $1,910, with out-of-state students paying around $5,393. Public Administration & Social Service graduates carry a median of $16,150 in student loans. Public Administration & Social Service graduates of San Juan College earn a median of $41,697 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,150 median debt.
Western New Mexico University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public administration & social service, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the town of Silver City, Western New Mexico University is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,855, with out-of-state students paying around $14,341. Public Administration & Social Service graduates carry a median of $35,448 in student loans. Public Administration & Social Service graduates of Western New Mexico University earn a median of $50,761 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $35,448 median debt.
A rank of #3 makes New Mexico State University Main Campus one of the best values for public administration & social service. New Mexico State University Main Campus is a large public school located in the suburb of Las Cruces. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,183, with out-of-state students paying around $25,307. Public Administration & Social Service graduates carry a median of $24,500 in student loans. Public Administration & Social Service graduates of New Mexico State University Main Campus earn a median of $41,633 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 89%.
Santa Fe Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public administration & social service, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the rural area of Santa Fe, Santa Fe Community College is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $1,851, compared with $4,131 for out-of-state students. Public Administration & Social Service graduates carry a median of $15,267 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public administration & social service degree recipients from Santa Fe Community College generally make around $51,935. That is a strong return on a $15,267 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in public administration & social service will find it at University Of New Mexico Main Campus, which ranked #5. University Of New Mexico Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Albuquerque. In-state tuition and fees average $10,140, while out-of-state students pay about $33,060. Students borrow a median of $19,738 to complete the public administration & social service program here. Early-career public administration & social service graduates make about $61,253. Set against $19,738 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 95%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.